Each summer, families from across the country make their way to San Antonio destination parks like SeaWorld San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, but as ticket prices increase and local employers struggle to keep employee wages up, the 10-week summer break from school can add up for local families.
It’s a dilemma many San Antonians face.
For Marisa Cisneros, a stay-at-home mom to three children, a $600 trip with meals to SeaWorld San Antonio for her family of five this summer caused her to take her kids to the park on Thursday — where they entertained themselves for free.
She watched them on the playground as she sat on a tree trunk under the shade of a large tree as the sun beamed down on the waters of Woodlawn Lake.
“[We spent] $600 just going in,” Cisneros said. “And the food there and everything is expensive. … This summer is already pretty expensive, but we don’t want to spend more than what we have to.”
As she left the park with her children who were still full of energy, two boys arrived and ran toward the playground, squealing with excitement, followed by their dad, Joe Briseño, a San Antonio landscape worker who is making the effort to keep his kids away from electronics and screens for the summer.
“I thought this would be the most affordable,” Briseño said, looking across Woodlawn Lake Park. “Because that’s what they’re saying, ‘What are we going to do, dad? Where are we gonna go?’ Well, we’re going to the park.”
Those who can afford summer camps book their stays weeks ahead, leaving limited options for those who may be going back and forth on the expenditure. Even then, some summer camps in areas like art, engineering and science start at $350 for a four-day program. Day care is also expensive, and spots fill up quickly.
Family vacations aren’t always an option for those living paycheck-to-paycheck, either. Travel costs for an out-of-town vacation are estimated to cost 9% more than last year, and 20% more than they would have cost in 2019, according to a NerdWallet analysis which also found that hotel prices were at record highs in March.
At Pittman-Sullivan Park on San Antonio’s East Side, Kyarra Kirk said taking her kids to a city pool or park is “as good as it gets,” adding that pricy summer camps aren’t an option right now while her family lives on a single income.
“My husband is the only breadwinner, so it just all depends on what he makes,” Kirk said. “Given the circumstances, … we really don’t have much to work with at all.”
According to the U.S. Census, the average family in San Antonio has more than two children and lives on a median household income of $55,000.
“We’re all trying to … budget. Even though I’m ex-military, I’m a veteran, we still have to go to the [food] pantries and get help with food, even though we’re both working,” Briseño said. “Things are going up, so that’s killer.”
This summer, single-day SeaWorld San Antonio tickets, depending on the day, range between $64.99 and $89.99 for general admission. A more affordable option is the $7.99 monthly annual pass, which adds up to just under $96 each year. At Six Flags Fiesta Texas, one-day tickets start at $39.99 during the week but increase in price up to $49.99 on weekends and peak dates.
Admission to the San Antonio Aquarium is $24.95 for adults, and tickets for kids 3 to 11 are $19.95. That’s about $90 for a family of four.
Other excursions, including to SeaLife San Antonio, Legoland Discovery Center and the Hopscotch art experience start at $25 per person on average, not including tax or parking. Museums tend to be on the more affordable end of the scale, and some even offer discounts for San Antonio or Bexar County residents on specific days.
The Witte Museum, DoSeum, McNay Art Museum and San Antonio Museum of Art on average cost between $15 to $20 per person.
At the San Antonio Zoo, admission for kids ages 3 to 11 is $27.99, and regular admission for adults is $31.99, not including taxes or parking.
San Antonio Zoo CEO Tim Morrow said there are affordable ways to visit the zoo over the summer, like on Locals Day, when tickets are $8 per person for Bexar County residents. The next Locals Day will be on Wednesday, June 21. During teacher appreciation month and military promotions some attendees can get in free, and the zoo regularly gives out tickets to local nonprofits.
In recent years, the zoo has invested in adding value with educational experiences for attendees and particularly for local children, Morrow said.
“The children of this community, a lot of them have probably never seen a gorilla in real life, if they can’t afford to drive to Houston or Fort Worth and Dallas,” he explained. “Bringing those gorillas back was very important to us, and offering these experiences where kids can learn about these animals from around the world and really appreciate them.”
For Cisneros, the park day at Woodlawn Lake was a relief after a recent trip to the aquarium during which she said they spent more than $300, all told.
“Everything is expensive,” she said. “There has to be something out there that is common for most families who have a lot of kids so that they can have things to do over the summer that’s not so expensive.”
During the summer, going to the park is the most common and affordable option for families looking for group activities, said Brenda Anz, coupon expert of 13 years and owner of SavingOurWay, a coupon blog to teach San Antonio-area families how to save money through in-person couponing classes.
“People are having a hard time,” Anz said. “People just can’t afford to have family fun. If they have to choose between putting food on the table and going to the zoo, they’re going to put food on the table.”
Anz added that it’s possible to do some of both by saving money wherever possible, including by couponing at grocery stores and researching the deals available at the museums and theme parks you want to visit and free or low-cost alternatives, she said.
“People are stressed out. Definitely people are having a hard time,” Anz said. “If you want to save, it’s going to take research.”
